The REIDS micro-grid demonstrator

XANT M turbine for light-house project for micro-grids in SE Asia

REIDS

The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is leading the Renewable Energy Integration Demonstrator – Singapore (REIDS) project, which will be the largest hybrid microgrid test and research platform in the tropics. XANT was selected by ENGIE Lab, one of REIDS’ partners, to supply a XANT M turbine with tilt-up tower for the Phase 1 of the REIDS demonstrator. ENGIE Lab opted for the XANT M for the ease of installation and maintenance; also the grid-support and power curtailment features ease the integration of the XANT M in a hybrid micro grid.

The S$ multi-million microgrid infrastructure is intended to facilitate the development and market penetration of hybrid energy technologies, suited for tropical conditions, to be developed by NTU together with a consortium of world leading corporations, the “REIDS partners”. REIDS and its partners are testing and demonstrating the integration of solar, wind, tidal, diesel, storage as well as waste-to-energy and power-to-gas technologies as well as other production, storage, end-use technologies and solutions suitable for deployment in Southeast Asia.[1]

XANT M tilt-up at the REIDS microgrid demonstrator

The XANT M turbine is one of up to seven which will generate power for hybrid microgrids on the landfill south of Singapore, together with other sources such as photovoltaic (solar) panels, as part of Singapore’s drive towards developing sustainable energy. The first phase of REIDS, which consisted of installing more than 4,500 sq m of photovoltaic panels, large-scale lithium-ion energy storage systems and a hydrogen refuelling station, has been completed with the erection of the XANT M turbine.

Several of the microgrids, which will eventually cover more than 64,000 sq m or about the size of nine football fields, will be built, and will produce enough energy each year to power 100 blocks of four-room HDB flats for the same period. With the signing up of new partners such as EDF, Emerson and IDSUD, the REIDS micro-grid demonstrator will continue to expand.

Hybrid power mix

Said Professor Choo Fook Hoong of NTU’s Energy Research Institute, which manages the initiative: “The role here is to look at renewable energy, integrating them into microgrids, so that it can benefit not only remote islands and villages (in the region), but also urban microgrids that will benefit Singapore in the longer term in terms of a more stable and resilient power supply.”

Developing a mix of renewable energy sources is important because they each have their own advantages, said Prof Choo. “When we look at renewable energy integration, we cannot rely entirely on photovoltaics because that will only work when the sun is out. Wind is different – you have wind at night as well… this allows us to have continuous power supply without having to increase the storage capacity, which is not that cheap today.” [2]

Micro-grids in South-East Asia

The population of the 10 countries generally grouped under the Southeast Asia designation – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – presently stands at 625 million. Some 100 million people live in the 10 largest metropolitan agglomerations. Another 125 million have either no access at all or very sporadic, unsatisfactory access to electricity. Off-grid microgrids will increasingly become the key energy infrastructure to address the need for better and more affordable energy access in the region.

About XANT

XANT is a manufacturer of midsize (50…500kW) turbines for the microgrid and off-grid markets. XANT turbines are designed with microgrid applications in mind and with a special focus on remote areas and harsh operating conditions. They have Just Enough Essential Parts (JEEP!), fit in 40ft containers and can be erected without a crane. For deployment in typhoon-prone areas the turbines can be lowered to the ground, also facilitating the maintenance. XANT turbines have the capability of active power curtailment and can be equipped with integrated energy storage to allow for a high penetration rates. The extreme simplicity, easy maintenance, silent operation and low cost of ownership make XANT turbines ideally suited for wind power on remote locations and close to the consumer.